The fire-hit Three Horseshoes pub today. Picture by James Watkins

Fire ripped through the first floor of a Shropshire country pub, causing thousands of pounds damage. An investigation is now under way into the cause of the blaze.

Donald Grant, chairman of Wheathill Parish Council, said he believed the alarm was raised by the landlady’s pet dog as she slept in another part of the building and she was able to get out of the pub before the fire took hold.

The fire started at the Three Horseshoes pub in Wheathill, between Bridgnorth and Ludlow, in the early hours of Saturday.

Firefighters were called after the blaze broke out in a first floor bedroom of the traditional two-storey property before spreading into the roof space.

Police closed the main road between Bridgnorth and Ludlow after the fire service requested traffic be kept away from the area.

Fire crews used an aerial platform ladder to help battle the fire which took two-and-a-half hours to control.

No-one was injured but the pub has been closed since the incident.

A spokeswoman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue today said two fire engines, using two hose reels, were used to control the blaze.

She added “It was a severe fire. From first impressions it seems the fire broke out in a first floor bedroom and quickly broke through the roof. Luckily no-one was hurt.”

A worker from the nearby Boyne Estate said the extent of the damage could quite clearly be seen from the main road. “Police were still there and the road was closed well into Saturday morning,” she said.

The Three Horseshoes is a favourite with tourists and visitors to south Shropshire.

It is the centrepiece of the small Wheathill community and stages meetings and events for local people throughout the year.